news sports diversions opinion feature

Student Spotlight:Austin Erickson (pg. 2)

Basketball Season (pg. 11 )

Kayne West’s new CD (pg. 4)

Girl Drama In School (pg. 9)

Senior Election Project (pg. 7)

Dec. 2010, volume 20, issue 4

upcoming events!• Dec 23- Jan 3- Winter Break• Jan 6-Girls’ Gymnastics Meet• Jan 10-Choir Pyramid Con-cert• Jan 12-Transcript request forms due for Feb. 1 deadline• Jan 17-Martin Luther King’s Birthday, No School• Jan 19-Transcript request forms due for Feb. 15 deadline• Jan 20-National Honor Soci-ety Meeting• Jan 21- Gumbo XVIII• Jan 28-Second Quarter Ends

Snow Predictions: A Letdown Compared to Last Year By Salwa Touzani

What every student is wishing for this winter is another snowstorm like last year’s. However, meteorologists are already predicting that we will not be getting nearly as much snow.

This is a big disappointment to many kids who were hoping to get snowed-in again this year. “What? Nooooooo! I wanted a bunch of snow!” said Caitlyn Langeliers (12), who was eager for a larger snowstorm this year. Last year, Fairfax county students had an extra week added to their winter break be-cause of the extraordinary blizzard. “It was like another Christmas break,” said Cara Donovan (12).

With already a dusting of snow in Virginia Beach people are praying that the prediction may in fact be wrong. “I’m gonna be doing the snow dance every day, I know it’ll make the snow come,” said David Welliver (11).

The winter of 1966 gave Virginia an incredible 25 inches of snow. An-other blizzard this area witnessed was in 2003, with a whopping 28 inches of snow hitting. Last year’s snowstorm

had snow coming down at 2-3 inches per hour in Northern Virginia. This year’s predictions are nowhere near that.

Though a lack of snow isn’t good news to students, it may be good for the adults who would have to drive in the storm. “Yeah, I love snow, but I’d rather it not snow as much as last year. It was too dangerous to drive anywhere,” said Government teacher Gary Baird,. Last year, three deaths in our area were connected to the snow- storm. Drivers, especially new ones, need to be cautious in icy conditions. Too much snow could also affect work-ing parents of young children who would have to miss work to babysit if their children were home from school.

The morale of students could pos-sibly go down this year. Last year’s blizzard was a boost in students’ spirit; it decreased stress in having a lon-ger break. For seniors, a lot of snow days are exactly what they need with the stress of applying to colleges. “It would be nice to have a few days off to work on college applications and es-says,” said Daniela Medina (12). Cent-reville’s seniors are the last in the area

Chance Roman, Sam Marks, and Tommy Cramp in the igloo they made with the large amount of snow recieved last year. (photo/ Chance Roman)to graduate this year, and extra snow days would make up for it.

Hopefully the predictions will take

a turn of some sort, because Centrev-ille students are not happy about the current predictions for this winter.

Which Type Of Frozen Yogurt Do You Prefer?

Created and surveyed by Mackenzie Carson

news2 Dec. 22, 2010

Teacher Spotlight: Michael BrennanBy Brynna Heflin

Senior’s Clothing Line Gains PopularityAn Interview with Austin Erickson About His New Business

By Mackenzie Carson

Where did you get the idea for Ocean Swell?

To be honest, there wasn’t exactly a single driving factor that drove me to launch Ocean Swell.

I’ve always planned to be a business owner when I was older. Two summers ago it dawned on me that there wasn’t really a reason to wait. I knew what I wanted to do and I didn’t think there was a reason to put it off. I have always loved the water and Ocean Swell just sort of came to me at random.

Ocean Swell is loosely based off of my own favorite brands: Helly Han-sen, Oneill, and my favorite, Oakley which are all inspirations because they encompass a multitude of different themes: surfing, urban/street, skate, and longboarding -- find a way to brand it so that it applies to everyone’s unique lifestyle.

In that regard, that’s exactly what I look for as I continue with Ocean Swell: a brand that anyone can wear while remaining distinct enough to really stand out in a crowd of people.

Is this similar to something you’d want to do when you’re older?

Ocean Swell is definitely something I’d like to do in college and hopefully beyond.

I plan to major in either internation-al business or entrepreneurship. Lord willing, it’ll be something that I carry along with me.

Who created each design?Ocean Swell has two artists, both of

whom graduated last year: Mo Qab-bani and Alex Morgan.

Both of them are extremely talented. Mo has been working with me since OS’s inception, and Alex hopped on board at the beginning of last year.

All of their art is exceptionally hand

What Austin’s classmates think about Ocean Swell:

“Ocean Swednesday isn’t about wearing a t-shirt, it’s about appreciating all bromo-sapiens, it’s

about playing hide-and-bro seek, and it’s about

watching bromantic comedies with my bro’s.” - Jason Dolinger (12) in

the Splash Tee

“The reason I wear Ocean Swell is due to

the pure brotensity created by the C.E.Bro,

Austin Erickson.” – Jeremy Michael (12) in

the Script Tee

“I like Ocean Swell.” - Chase Johnson (12)

drawn. Each piece takes an extremely long time to draw up and edit. Each of their signatures can be found on the pieces they’ve designed. Mo has drawn up the art for both our Script Tee and our newest Limited ElitiX Edition, and Alex designed both the Splash and Flo-ral tee.

How has owning a business affected you?

It’s been interesting to say the least! What I love most Ocean Swell is that I’ve learned so many lessons from launching this company on my own that I know for a FACT it can’t be learned in any given classroom.

The people skills I’ve learned are in-valuable, and it’s definitely given me a confidence boost knowing that you re-ally can do anything you want if you just set your mind to it.

How has business been?Business has been very good! We’ve

sold close to 150 shirts from our first release, and our newest Limited Edi-tion is just about sold out as well!

We have got people who wear also Ocean Swell at PVI, Fairfax, and Gle-nelg High over in Maryland.

We’ve had online orders reach us all the way from Maryland, Ohio, and even two sales in California!

Will any new designs be coming out soon?

Within the next couple of weeks, look for the newest additions to our line.

We’re looking to add hoodies as well as long sleeves for the winter, and they’re absolutely guaranteed to be sick. Additionally, I have plans for Ocean Swell to aid in causes I that strongly support during this upcom-ing quarter.

Because I am an avid fly fisherman, and I back our troops 110%, Ocean Swell will donate a percentage of pro-

ceeds to an organization I actively volunteer for: Project Healing Waters. This amazing organization focuses on the rehabilitation of our wounded and traumatized heroes through the sooth-ing effects that fly fishing has on the body and mind through both the art of fly-tying and the science of catching trout on the water.

It will be a pleasure to give back to an amazing cause like that.

Anything else you’d like to add?I’d like to thank the entire OS team

which helps with every aspect of the company.

They’re an invaluable bunch that have really contributed as a whole to Ocean Swell’s initial launch. My broth-er Cole Erickson, and my best friend Michael Brainard have been with me every step of the way.

My artists Mo Qabbani and Alex Morgan are a couple of great dudes,

Bailey Munson, our extremely talented photographer, my girlfriend Valery Luna, who feeds me a lot of great ad-vice and constantly warns me when I’m heading off the deep end, Chase Walter, our one and only street teamer, an absolute bro in every aspect, and our newest and most exciting addition-Sahid Bangura, who will now be our official web designer and site curator.

Check us out on TheOceanSwell.com as well as on Facebook. Just search for ‘Ocean Swell’. Sahid will be com-pletely face-lifting our site within the next couple weeks -- keep checking back with the site to track his progress.

If you’re interested in grabbing a shirt, you can either order from us on-line, or by simply contacting anyone from the OS team and we’ll be sure to get you what you’d like. Thanks so much for your time, Mackenzie, I’m extremely appreciative -- God Bless.

Criminal Justice teacher Michael Brennan has first-hand experience with the justice system he teaches about. Brennan was hired by the Fair-fax County Police Department in 1976, and attended the FCPD Basic Training Academy for six months, where he learned how to be a police officer.

During his last seven years with the Police Department, Brennan was assigned to the academy where he in-structed new and veteran officers in de-fensive tactics, taser, traffic stops, crime scene investigation, and interview and interrogations. “While assigned to the Police Academy, I discovered a love for teaching,” Brennan said.

Brennan also experienced many ex-hilarating moments as a cop. “I spent eight years flying medavacs and ten years with the SWAT team, so there were many days that might count as intense,” Brennan said. “Maybe the most intense moments were trying to calm and reassure victims of crimes; I have vivid memories of those mo-ments.”

“My favorite part about being a cop was being with police officers,” Bren-nan adds. “I consider myself extremely fortunate to have worked with men

and women in the law enforcement profession, particularly in the Fair-fax County Police Department. It was truly an honor working alongside law enforcement agents who dedicate their lives to keeping their community safe.”

Brennan is still involved in police work by way of training officers and different law enforcement agencies in the taser. When he is not teaching criminal justice at Centreville High School or educating people about ta-sering, Brennan likes to ride his bicycle and hang out at the beach during the summer.

Brennan has worked in or with the police department for many years, and thus, has a lot of knowledge about what potential police officers should do before attempting to go into police work. “Most police departments are looking for applicants with college degrees, so I highly recommend to anyone thinking of going into police work to do well in school and get your college degree -- it’s very important!” Brennan suggested.

He also emphasized that anyone who wants to be a cop needs to make good decisions. “I have seen very capa-ble and qualified people denied entry into the law enforcement field because of bad decisions,” Brennan said. “We

understand people make mistakes, but try to minimize those bad decisions.”

Now teaching full-time, Brennan couldn’t be happier. “Asking me what my favorite part about teaching crimi-nal justice is like asking me my favorite part of a hot fudge sundae,” Brennan said.

“My favorite part is the whole ex-

perience. Working with students and teaching about cops and criminals would be my top two favorite parts.”

I loved being a cop and I love teach-ing,” Brennan said. “I truly believe I have the best job in the world and I consider myself very fortunate to be in the position I am in. I love coming to work every day.”

One of the Ocean Swell ad pictures from the Ocean Swell Face-book site. (photo/ Bailey Munson)

Mr. Brennan, teaching his second period Crimal Justice class. (photo/ Allison Ewing)

newsDec. 22, 2010

We are Hermanas: Latinas Leading Tomorrow

“Sleep Deprivation” or “Facebook Depriving Sleep”?

By Daniela Medina

By Kristy McKain

Centreville High School is happy to announce the inauguration of the first Latinas Club. Latinas Leading Tomor-row (LLT) is a program intended to help female students of Hispanic ori-gin preserve their culture and values through unity, leadership, commu-nity service, and learning. The mem-bers of the club meet twice a month, go on field trips, take part in cultural events, do charity work, hold fundrais-ing events, and attend the annual LLT conference.

Latinas’ current fundraising event involves a project that provides sup-plies to poor schools in South Ameri-can countries. “By helping others, the members of the club will not only meet important needs in our school and community, but they will also develop leadership skills and character traits such as empathy and kindness” Mari-cel Fernández said, one of the sponsors of LTT and a Spanish teacher here at Centreville. In addition to this fund-raising event, Latinas is also planning a number of field trips in order for the members to bond. On December 22nd, the members of the club will celebrate the holidays by ice skating and having dinner at a local restaurant.

The activities carried out by Latinas preserve Hispanic culture and values

in many ways. For example, at every meeting, the club serves snacks from Spanish-speaking countries, listens to Latin music, and members converse in their native tongue. “The club is like a sisterhood,” said club member Kim Oña, “It opens Latinas eyes and shows us how being successful is attainable to all who put effort and commitment into their future. Regardless of our struggles, together we can help each other move forward.”

Latinas encourages members to ex-cel in their educational activities. The club also promotes learning through tutoring. Starting 3rd quarter, mem-bers of the Latinas club will be avail-able on some days after school or dur-ing CATS to tutor students who are struggling with Spanish. Moreover, if the members of the club themselves are struggling with a subject, they can be tutored by Kelly Hennessa, one of the club sponsors. Hennessa is also a teacher at Centreville.

One of the goals of Latinas is to overcome the old stereotype which attempts to limit them. By building leadership skills, self-esteem, and cul-tural competence, the members of the Latinas Club hope to promote a posi-tive Latina identity. Furthermore, they want to encourage teenagers to recog-nize their own capabilities and their potential impact on their community.

“The club provides an opportunity for Latinas to step out of their comfort zones and become strong members of the community,” said Genesis Eche-varría (12), the club’s treasurer.

LLT was established in 2004 at Wakefield High School and it now has clubs in Arlington, Centreville, and in Manor, Texas. “I expect it to develop

and grow strong in Centreville, where it is now taking off,” said Carla Ramo, one of the club sponsors and CVHS parent. “With the help of these same girls who are soon going on to college, I don’t think it is overly ambitious to desire that we can have an LLT in each major city with a significant Latino population.”

In the previous issue of the Sentinel, high school students’ lack of sleep was said to be due to the enormous and unnecessary amount of homework as-signed to students.

Dr. Campbell, World Religions, AP Euro, and Latin teacher, brought up this point to his students that maybe the work wasn’t the problem, and in-stead, the problem was the number of distractions students fill their after-school life with.

Facebook, extra curricular activities, and resting from a long day of classes fill students’ various schedules after school. Add on dinner, showering, and different house tasks, and there’s hard-ly any time to focus on homework and studying for classes.

When Campbell posed these alter-native options to his students, many agreed that homework is not the only reason that teenagers are getting a few hours to no sleep at all. Even if stu-dents are working, many often have Facebook open on their computers to check back every few minutes. “I al-ways have Facebook open,” David Lee (12) said. “Is that even a question?”

Lee added that “senioritis” is a ma-jor cause of sleep loss and due to this “illness” he gets roughly an hour or two of sleep per night. “I have more AP classes this year, and a part-time

job which doesn’t help,” said Lee.Maggie Lyons (12) suffers many of

the same issues of her fellow seniors. “I definitely waste a lot of time on Facebook,” said Lyons. “I would get so much more sleep if I didn’t have Facebook, extra curricular activities, and dance, but clubs and activities are crucial to get into a good college.” Although Facebook is a major time waster and the cause of sleep “depri-vation,” students must complete ex-tracurricular activities due to the com-petitive area that students are working with to get into a good college.

Andy Balberde (10) has already noticed this as a sophomore. “I defi-nitely have distractions when I’m do-ing homework,” said Balberde. “But if teachers honestly expect me to do homework without breaks, I don’t know what they’re thinking.”

Junior Melanie Luck is one of the few students who can say they regular-ly get an average of seven hours very night. “It’s a lot less than I’ve gotten in previous years,” said Luck. “But I only get as much sleep as I do because my mom takes away my computer unless I have to do work on it. I don’t have Facebook or other websites constantly distracting me.” When the student-athlete isn’t able to keep up on her sleep, however, she spends her week-ends making-up for sleep debt from the school week.

Members of Latinas Leading Tomorrow at the annual LTT confer-ence at George Mason. (photo/ Carla Ramo)

What’s Your Favorite Holiday Food?

3

“Pecan Pie”-Emily Bullard (12)

“Christmas Cookies”-Evan Fuller (11)

“My mom makes choclolate covered raisins and nuts”-Shannon O’Donnell (10)

“Turkey”-Tony Curry (9)

Students manage to find different distractions that add up to re-duce the amount of sleep they get. (photo/ Kristy McKain)

DIVERSIONS4 Dec. 22, 2010

GumboBy Salwa Touzani

Caption. (Photo/Credit)

Noosh and Polly’s Surprise Corner

DIVERSIONS 5Dec. 22, 2010

The Encore Company: Excelling in the Art of DanceEncore is a dance studio located in

Chantilly, which is considered the best of the best. It is run by Raynor van der Merwe, an artist who has 25 years of experience with dance and theater.

Trained by the best teach-ers, these girls, including a group from Centreville, are trying their hand at the future.

High school is already tough for students -- hours of homework, AP classes, study-ing for tests and SATs. Imag-ine all that in addition to two to four hours of dancing every day after school.

“Being in the company has made high school really stressful. I dance about two to three hours every night after school, so keeping up with homework is pretty hard and I rarely go to bed before 12,” Jessie Peltier (11) said.

Is it really worth it, dancing for two or more hours, giving up sleep because of the need

to finish homework or study for a test? “I love to dance so it’s all worth it to

me,” Peltier said. Encore Theatrical Arts Project puts

on two shows every year, once dur-ing Christmas time and another per-

formance in the spring. Last spring break, the members of Encore traveled all the way to Spain to perform in a show.

“It was so much fun; we got to spend time together, see a beautiful city, and do what we all love: dance!” Peltier said.

The Encore girls are taught by some of the best teachers in the country. For example, Jen-na Hide (who also appeared in the movie Step Up), Nicko-lai Balatsenko, Rachel Leigh Dolan, Kimberly Hope Jewart, and many more talented art-ists.

Every Christmas, the Broadway type show, choreo-graphed by van der Merwe, leaves its audience in awe.

For more information on their Christmas and Spring performances, go to: http://www.encoreperform-ers.com/encore/Index.shtml

By Pallavi Saini

Ali Waldman(12), Sage Coury(11), Jessie Peltier(11) and Katie Dudzik (12). (Photo/ Jessie Peltier)

Dancer Mia Saunders and Her Incredible Passion for Teaching By Nashmin Behrouzi

For many dancers, ballet is a form of artistic expression and individu-ality. It requires hours of training, where students learn the art of bal-ance, grace, and posture, and even dif-ferent techniques of relaxation. These are just some of the reasons why Mia Saunders, founder of the Mia Saun-ders School of Ballet, has been dancing most of her life.

When she was only eight, Saunders was accepted to the School of Ameri-can Ballet in New York City. Four years later, she earned a scholarship to the Garden State Ballet in Newark, N.J.

As an adult, Saunders began teach-ing here locally with the Fairfax Coun-ty Department of Recreation. She then established a school of ballet in the Centreville-Clifton area in 1987.

Since then, Saunders has had many devoted and talented young students enroll in her program. They not only dance for enjoyment, but have also de-veloped close relationships with their teacher and fellow dancers. “I feel like a part of the family which makes me never want to leave,” Hannah Wood-ruff (10) said. Woodruff has

been dancing since she was three years old and joined Mia Saunders’s school at age eight. “I love being able to dance so close to home and with my friends,” said Woodruff. The Mia

Saunders School of Ballet also do-nates a lot to charitable causes. Every winter, the students perform The Nut-cracker here at Centreville which raises money for a lot of different chari-ties and CVHS’s drama boosters for

Movies Coming Out in January

The Season Of the Witch(1/7)Action

The Dilemma(1/14)Comedy

The Mechanic(1/28)Drama

The Rite(1/28)Drama

No Strings Attached(1/21)Romance

The Green Hornet(1/14)Action

The Company Men(1/24)Drama

The Way Back(1/21)Drama

scholarships. “It is very rewarding because we raise money for many charities while doing what we enjoy.” said Maggie Lyons (12), who has been dancing since she was six. “It’s a lot of fun.”

The girls receive lots of support and encouragement from their loved ones. “The things that motivate me to dance is that my family and friends are al-ways there to support me in my per-formances, and ballet also helps me re-lax and become a calmer person,” said Erin Soderstrom (10).

The girls practiced rigorously for many weeks before performing The Nutcracker this month. In June, they are planning such productions as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9.

“My favorite part of dancing is put-ting on shows for my community,” Lyons said. She attributes Saunders for inspiring her to continue dancing, and for motivating the dancers to succeed.

“Mrs. Saunders is an amazing teacher; she gives equal attention to all of her students and her encouraging personality keeps us motivated,” said Woodruff.

The Mia Saunders girls performing The Nutcracker (2010) (Photo/Erin Soderstrom(10))

Left to right: Top: Rob Ewing, Chesapeake Subschool Principal; Principal Mike Campbell; Brian Doyle, Dominion Subschool Principal; Jimmy Sanabria, Director of Student Activities Bottom: Susan Cestare, Alexis Wenzel, Commonwealth Subschool Principal; Karla Hogan, Blue Ridge Subschool Prinicpal; Gail Reynolds, Direc-tor of Student Services

6 Dec. 22, 2010

Happy Holidays from the Centreville Administration !

Feature

Josh and Zarger and Derek Mack are the winning candidates for the 2010 Senior Election Project. The pair will be representing Centreville High School and the Class of 2011 in Rich-mond when they travel to Congress to present a bill from the senior class.

Their strategy throughout the cam-paign has merely been to win, which they successfully did during the throughout the election. Zarger and Mack decided to focus on education, the death penalty, and full-body scans as their three main issues. The pair argued that education is necessary for America’s success, and to increase federal funds in education. Zarger and Mack took a stand against the death penalty, which is supported for moral reasons. They finally decided that full body scans are an invasion of privacy, dangerous, and ineffective.

Zarger’s favorite part of the elec-

tion was the speech. “Every aspect of it was fun,” said Zarger, “We had to come up with an idea, develop it, and make it creative. I enjoyed delivering the speech too, especially the give-and-take with the audience,” he added.

Candidate Zarger has participated in many clubs and activities through-out his high school career. Over the summer, Zarger raised $2,000 to serve kids in Ecuador for two weeks. He has been a dedicated member to the cross country team for four years, and is also a member of the National Honor Soci-ety. Zarger has participated in choir for the last eight years, and is currently the vice president of top choir at CVHS. Five years ago he helped start the EDGE Christian Club, which contin-ues to thrive today. Like Zarger, Der-ek Mack is also involved with many activities at CVHS. He is currently a member of the varsity basketball team, and is involved in the DECA business group.

Zarger and Mack: Got Your Backby Allison Ewing

Campaign Issues

Josh Zarger and Derek Mack posing for their campaign. (photo/ Josh Zarger)

EducationEducation is critically important to the future success of America’s econ-omy and prosperity and thus must be promoted and nourished. We advo-cate an increased allotment of federal funds to education systems. Increased funds will allow lower AP test charg-es to students and lower tuition rates for colleges on account of more schol-arships and grants. We also advocate for more teachers, which will allow for smaller class size, thus increasing the quality of education and increased teacher salaries, which will also serve to attract higher quality teachers.

Death PenaltyWe are against the death penalty in all cases and advocate a bill outlawing it in all cases. It is not morally or fiscally responsible to execute other human beings. As fellow human beings, we

have no right to say who will die and when, even if the accused has previ-ously taken the life of another. Ad-ditionally, the court fees associated with allowing the death penalty are higher than the amount it would take to keep the accused in prison for life.

Full-Body Scans at AirportFull body scans at airports are not only an invasion of privacy, but they are also ineffective and dangerous. They cross a personal privacy barrier that should not be crossed and must be protected. Additionally, the gov-ernment has released that these scans miss large numbers of weapons, ex-plosives, bombs, and bomb parts, ren-dering it no more effective than the typical pat-down or wand. They also expose passengers to unnecessary ra-diation, which could cause harmful radiation damage later in life.

Senior7Jan. 28, 2011 Feature

Students Struggle With New Year’s Challengesby Thomas Le

With each new year, students re-solve to work harder to obtain higher grades and achieve their full potential.

When the end of winter break ar-rives, most realize that almost half of the school year has already flown by. Besides seniors who are waiting with enthusiastically to graduate, most are attempting to ameliorate their grades before the end of second quarter. This presents a possible New Years’ resolution: study strenuously, which would result in high marks. There are only a few that are remiss in their school work, due to distractions such as amusing Christmas presents or the new Facebook layout.

A majority of students agree that scheduling is problematic when it comes to completing assignments on time. It is not an uncommon dilemma – many suffer from poor work habits caused by procrastination. “I try to avoid going on the computer,” Shairin

Syed (10) said,” Once I’m on it, I just waste time on the internet.” Others have to manage an overbooked sched-ule filled with out of school activities to impress colleges. “With my extra-cur-

Campaign IssuesEducation

As strong advocates of a better education system, we believe that every child in the United States has the right to a quality education and that the present school systems do not allow for that. The No Child Left Behind system of forcing schools to increase the pass rate on state exams or be considered a failed school is not accountable. The loss of funding to schools who still have high percent-ages of pass rates is also uncalled for. In response to this issue, we hope to revamp Virginia’s current SOL sys-tem. The tests should be broader, more in depth, and in tune to what the students will use and retain in the real world. Thus, tests will be made more comprehensive and have free-response options. The No Child Left Behind Act will be altered so equal funding will be provided to schools who continues to score 95% or higher on exams.

Alternative Energy SourcesWe support the funding of projects

linked to alternative fuel sources. We believe it is all too clear that oil is a short term fix for our country’s en-ergy needs. The need to research and develop a new, sustainable approach

to energy is inevitable. Thus, agen-cies and companies who are involved in the research of alternate energy sources are deserving of and will be provided. If comprehensive research finds a realistic source for energy, development of a program that will gradually overhaul the current sys-tem of energy will be created to re-place the current dependency on coal and fuel. If agencies successfully find these green options and apply them to their corporations will be offered tax breaks if proof of implementation is offered.

Death PenaltyWe do not support the death pen-

alty. While some will argue it is more fiscally responsible to apply the death penalty, studies show that it is not. Virginia legislation will be drawn and implemented which outlaws the use and threat of the death penalty as a way to serve justice. Instead, life sen-tences will be issued in place of the death penalty and more in depth tri-als will ensue to provide confidence in the court decision. We wish to take a humanitarian approach to prison, with respect to the inmates and this being said we are calling for a mas-sive overhaul of our prison system.

What it Takes to Voteby Thomas Le

In this day and age, young people across the nation are actively claiming their political preferences by taking the time to vote. By 2015, this upcoming generation will account for one-third of the electorate population.

This brings into question the safety of contemporary society: if the new generation is plagued with problems such as an unhealthy obsession with digital technology and a sinking econ-omy, how are they supposed to elect the correct candidate in terms of their views and needs?

The ability to vote is not a right – rather, it is a privilege that Americans fought for several decades ago, docu-menting it within the Declaration of Independence.

African-Americans were granted the right to vote in 1865, and women were allowed to vote by 1920. In this case, people should be proud and ea-ger to cast their ballots on Election Day. However, in the 2008 Presidential Election, only 52% of individuals from age 18-to-29 voted. There are a number of reasons for the lack of participation; unfortunately, most are purely due to a lack of diligence or education.

There are a substantial amount of individuals who choose not to vote due to an unrelenting apathy. “People always complain how their lives are be-ing controlled, and it’s partly because of the government,” Sarah Farooqi (10) said. “Maybe if they decided to vote they would get what they want.” Some feel that their vote will not count in the long run, or that they aren’t inter-ested in voting or politics. Others say that they forget. Even worse, some say that the lines are just too long. These excuses are the result of pure laziness.

Understandably, there are those who cannot vote for legitimate reasons – being too busy at school or work, be-ing too ill to be able to leave home, or not being able to find transportation. Either way, voting needs to be taken

seriously, so that an increased amount of individuals may be aware of the candidates representing their country.

Education also plays a profound part in the demographic of those who vote. According to the 2008 National Election Poll, 70% of young voters en-rolled in higher education, while peo-ple with only a high school diploma represented only 6% of young voters. Those with college diplomas showed a better understanding of issues, candi-dates, and the overall voting process, while those without lacked trust with the political system and tended to vote later than others.

The solution to this dilemma is sim-ple: do not be lazy, and work hard in school. An example of how learning helps is right here at Centreville High School: students are currently partici-pating in the Senior Elections for their government classes, which supplies them with knowledge regarding the campaigning process. It opens their eyes to the political system, and seniors especially benefit from the experience.

On a positive note, statistics also show that young voters are becoming increasingly involved with voting. “It’s important to understand current events because they affect our lives now and in the future,” Erin Hessler (12) said. “I listen to the radio and watch the news with my dad. He likes to keep up and makes sure I’m informed as well.” Al-though 52% of people from age 18 to 29 voted in the 2008 Presidential Election, it was a definite improvement from 40% in 2000 and 37% in 1996.

America’s democracy is fueled by its demographic state – as more indi-viduals vote, the power of the people strengthens. America is already the most ethnically diverse country, and of this generation 39% identify them-selves as non-white. Citizens of every race are able to decide on issues re-garding job salary, taxes, and health care, which proves the point that any form of apathy is unacceptable.

ricular activities, I feel that they are a must, like a priority,” Sue Jung (9) said.

These complications call for an-other variety of resolutions: getting off the Internet, or lightening up on the

workload. There are other strategies utilized to prevent laziness; however, these methods have grown hackneyed just a week into January. More effec-tive measures can be taken to probably ensure enhanced grades.

Students find it helpful to get orga-nized by creating a schedule – either by using their planner, calendar, or even sticky notes posted on a bedside drawer. Setting deadlines and making special notes for important dates is a must, so one can always be prepared for upcoming days.

Another strategy would be to find an undisturbed place to study, such as the library or an isolated room at home. This would remove any temp-tation to procrastinate, allowing one to focus in a comfortable environment.

An exorbitant amount of students find it difficult to perform well on tests and quizzes, ultimately leading to poor grades overall. In this regard, a plan would be to take neat notes and

The objective of Sentinel’s Staff is to provide a student forum where informa-tion is provided and voices can be heard. Our mission is to provide the student body of Centreville High School an honest and accurate paper produced by the students, for the students. Our editorials represent the opinions of Sentinel’s Editors and always promote the opportunity for critique and re-sponse. Our opinion pieces reflect the view of the writer and the writer only, and are not printed to offend. This is a publication that maintains high standards and proper ethical conduct.

All letters to the editor must be typed and signed. They can be dropped off at room 116 or placed in Mrs. Willmann’s mailbox. We reserve the right to edit the responses.

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2010-2011 STAFFEditor-In-Chief:

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Manager:Courtney BurkeSection Editors:

Allison Ewing (Feature) Kristy McKain (Diversions)

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McKain, Stephen Rechter, Pallavi Saini, Salwa Touzani

Advisor: Kathleen WillmannPrincipal: Michael Campbell

8 Opinion Dec. 22, 2010

High school girls are infamous for their cliques and social hierarchies; they have always gossiped and os-tracized each other. It’s nothing new. Nearly every young woman has been the brunt of harsh judgments and ru-mors. Some girls do not even need to know the girl they talk badly about; they can rip her apart for something as benign as an outfit, or a hairstyle.

So the real question is this: Why are we so brutally vicious in our attacks of our fellow female peers? Is it our own insecurities and jealousies? Or, is it merely a part of our nature?

There have been multiple theories and studies conducted on the origin of female behavior. Several scientists believe that some of our hostility is at-tributed to the way we are wired. Fe-male brains are far more complex than males. We have an acute memory and

Girls Against Girls

By Rose Di Toro

Student/Teacher Blurbs

a stronger ability to sustain deeply emotional relationships.

Although these are good character-istics, they can also be detrimental. The teenage brain is still developing which can distort these otherwise positive parts of the female brain. Hormones and other social factors also drasti-cally affect behavior.

The good news is that even though we may have a biological tendency to behave this way, we can still change. But how? We live in a society in which the media presents and even supports the “mean girl” image. We all fall prey to this trap.

It’s easy to talk badly about some-one when all of your friends do it too. “I think we all need to learn how to be

more accepting of one another,” Ra-chael Donnelly (12) said.

Each individual has an innate desire to be accepted by their peers. Unfortu-nately, many girls believe that the fast-est way to connect with other girls is to talk badly about someone.

This is not s u r p r i s i n g considering that nearly every girl has that tenden-cy.

Jealousy is a huge com-

ponent in gossip. We’re all in compe-tition with each other. We’re obsessed with who has the best body, hottest boyfriend, and cutest clothes.

“I think some girls look at others as competition; either they’re feeling left out of a group or they feel intimidat-ed,” Meghan Murphy (12) said.

This mentality can tear apart exist-ing friendships, making it nearly im-possible to start new ones.

It deceives us into believing that we will never be good enough, and never deserving of love and acceptance.

If you have ever been ostracized by another girl, you know how much it hurts. Why perpetuate something so harmful? “Learn to let things go!” Ker-ri O’Brien (10) said.

It’s never too late to change. “Each individual has to make a change, it’s not something that can be fixed with just one person,” Joanna Ahn (10) said.

Perhaps the wisest insight on this is-sue is the opinion of Cady Heron from Mean Girls:

“Calling somebody else fat won’t make you any skinnier. Calling some-one stupid doesn’t make you any smarter.”

Why We Are Mean and How We Can Change

“I think we need to all learn how to be more accepting of

one another.” Rachael Donnelly, senior

If you could be principal for the day, what would you change or implement ?

John O’Rourke, U.S. History“Let kids drop classes and become

teacher assistants”

Mitchell August(12)“Eliminate Tardy Sweeps”

Nick Zeigler (10)“School-wide Bonfire”

Jenna Green (9)“No Homework!”

Sara Emsley (11)“School-wide Hide and Seek”

Lauren Ierardi (10)“Movie Day”

Corey Thessin(9)“Let everyone play sports

all day”

Prabjot Singh (12)“Cheesy Bread for lunch

everyday”

9 Opinion Dec. 22, 2010

Administrator’s Corner

Q: Why have there been so many tardy sweeps?A: “We no longer give a detention beginning with a student’s 3rd tardy to a class, so the sweeps are an alternative method to promote timeliness to class.”Q: What policies have you brought to Cent-reville?A: “I helped to introduce the Ethics Week ac-tivities, some attendance procedures, as well as a few other administrative changes. And of course, the new warning bells!!”

By Cara Donovan

ROB EWING, Chesapeake Subschool

All Work and No Play During the HolidaysThe holiday season is a season of

giving, and at Centreville, “giving” tends to be pushed to the extreme. Un-fortunately for students, teachers fol-low this tradition with dedication by “giving” students plenty to do before they leave for winter break.

It seems unfair in many ways. Teach-ers give out hundreds upon hundreds of “gifts” to their students while receiv-ing nothing in return. Unfortunately these aren’t gifts that can be returned to a store or which come with a receipt. The joy of the holiday season is hardly felt by students as teachers enact their annual tradition of assigning massive amounts of homework and tests as a sign of compassion and gratitude for a semester’s worth of hard work.

It’s understandable that teachers

want to fit in a final test or two, or three before the long layoff, but is it really in the spirit of the holiday season? From the student’s perspective, teachers have mistaken the context of the “sea-son of giving,” lost their marbles, or

are inherently evil. Whatever the case, the massive amounts of work that stu-dents receive during the season keep them darkly cynical and bitter while the rest of the world is seemingly cel-ebrating love, warmth, and ease.

“At this point, it wouldn’t be Christ-mas without tons of work before the

break,” remarked Pat Shea (12), “but it still stinks.” The huge workload that students receive has actually become a part of the holiday tradition, but it’s a tradition that most students would gladly leave behind. While it’s silly to

BY STEVEN RECHTER

think that teachers should completely drop their assignments before winter break, would it really hurt to spread the work out a bit more? In the past, the quarter hasd ended or was nearly over after winter break; however, this year it doesn’t end until January 28th, so what’s the rush in shoveling work

out at alarmingly high rates?“I know it’s a lot to ask for, but can’t

we get a little break?” said Shauna Kistner (12). “By the time we can actu-ally start enjoying the holidays, they end because we’ve been so busy with work.” The worst thing a teacher can “give” to students before the break is a test on the very last day, since students are usually too distracted by impend-ing happiness to do well on a test. Too often teachers use their dark sense of humor like this to kill the holidays for students. One could say it’s similar to telling little children that Santa Claus isn’t real.

The holidays are here again, and all students can do is hope and pray that teachers will take pity on them. Maybe with a long quarter and a relatively short break, hearts will grow a few sizes and they will choose to keep their “gifts” this year.

“I know it’s a lot to ask for, but can’t we get a little break?” - Shauna Kistner (12)

West Potomac High School, a school in Fairfax County, recently reversed their controversial new policies. These policies were said to encourage stu-dents to continue working toward learning the material rather than ac-cepting a failing grade. With the nega-tive attention and widespread disarray of opinion, Principal Cliff Hardison returned their school to their old ones.

One of the policies stated that teach-ers were no longer allowed to give stu-dents a zero on a test/assignment in which they were caught cheating on. The other policy banished F’s from re-port cards. Instead of an F, a student would receive an incomplete and still be allowed to make up the work and learn the material after the grading pe-riod.

The scary thing is that this is not the first shift toward these types of educa-tional methods. Many schools around the country are instituting similar poli-cies. These changes are chiefly intend-ed for those students who fall below the average. They argue that students will look at an incomplete and work towards learning the material whereas they look at an F and accept that they didn’t learn it. They also argue that cheating is not an academic issue and shouldn’t be punished in an academic

manner. When addressing the nature of ba-

sic level courses, material is not diffi-cult to master and passing is not hard to accomplish if the work is completed. With the exception of those with learn-ing disabilities and those in higher lev-el courses, students fail because they don’t care about learning the material. It does not matter what letter of the al-phabet is put on their report card be-cause seeing an “I” will not suddenly motivate them to do their work and learn the material. If is a student isn’t motivated by seeing an F, then how will the lesser evil of an incomplete motivate that student?

As to the policy on cheating, it is a good life lesson for students to realize that outcomes can be permanent. It is unrealistic to allow a student to be able to re-take a test that he or she cheated on, while learning the necessary prin-ciples that hold true and constant in life. If a student is caught drunk while driving, will he be allowed to immedi-ately jump right back in a car? If a stu-dent is caught stealing from a store at the mall, will he be allowed to shop at that store again? If a student is caught plagiarizing in college, will he be let off then? Unless our society decides to change these rules, we should not consider lessening the punishment of those caught cheating.

West Potomac Reverses Controversial New PoliciesBY CARA DONOVAN Lastly, this is an issue of merit. In-

stead of lowering the bar, it should be raised. Students shouldn’t be expected to step up and do better by telling them they can slide by with putting off their

work. Those schools that create a com-petitive environment are those that tend to succeed, succeed in scores, in creativity, and in producing produc-tive members of society.

The current hostile environment be-tween North and South Korea has not only President Obama in a whirlwind

of emotions, but also many Centreville students.

While Obama takes the side of trav-eling to and assisting South Korea, I oppose his views.

Korean Conflict Causes Community Strife BY ERIN MEADOR

Q: What is your favorite part about working at Centreville?A: “Being in the same school as my kid! Everyone here is really cool too!”Q: What is the biggest difference between high school today and when you were in high school?A:“We didn’t have the video games, cell phones, and the Internet so we spent a lot more time outside. Also, if we wanted a car, you went out and got a job to pay for it.”

With the war in Iraq winding down, students with families in the military continue to be emotionally devastated and stressed out about their loved ones returning safely. Students such as Evan Fuller have a parent serving overseas right now, and couldn’t imagine hav-ing them away for any longer.

“I’m counting the days until I get to see my dad again, and to have to add more days would devastate me,” Full-er said. “I try not to think about it and the days seem to go faster.”

Sasha Rocke has been in a similar situation, with her father just returning home. “It was tough having my dad back and forth from Iraq for a year, but I’m incredibly proud of him along with all the other soldiers and civilians fighting and working over there.”

Those serving in the U.S. military have the very honorable job of protect-ing Americans from harm’s way, al-lowing us to be completely oblivious and carefree.

They have sacrificed everything for The United States of America, so the

only reason we should deploy them to Korea is to protect the families who are already stationed there, not South Korea as a whole.

As a nation we have a job to pro-tect and serve ourselves, not other countries. I’m all for the idea of sell-ing South Korea weapons, but we shouldn’t try and fight other coun-tries’ battles; we’ve made that mistake already.

By placing ourselves in the middle of another feud, we become the ene-my. We set ourselves up to be attacked, and we lose connections with some countries that our economy thrives on. Engaging in another war that’s not ours to be fought would only be for the worse.

Although it leaves a huge hole in the heart for many students that have loved ones overseas, the students and families support them wherever they may be reassigned.

“I’m really proud to be the daughter of a member of one of the most selfless, sacrificial, and dependable institutions to ever exist,” Rocke said.

Seniors suppor the U.S. military troops in the last game of the football season. (Photo/Bailey Munson)

sports Dec. 22, 201010

Cam Owens (12), a First Team All Concorde District basketball player last year, is hoping to continue his suc-cess this season as well.

Owens, wearing #34 is an offen-sive threat at power forward, standing above 6 ft. tall which allows him to get numerous rebounds over smaller oponents. Prior to each season, Ow-ens is always trying to stay healthy and in shape. “I like to do out of sea-son workouts three times a week to get loose,” said Owens.

Being one of five seniors on the team this year, Owens is displaying the kind of leadership needed to cre-ate a winning environment. “I think we can have a great season if we all work hard we can go far,” said Ow-ens. Head Coach Drew Murphy has been spectacular, leading them to a 13-7 record last season.

The team is looking to go far again this year with young talent brought up from the JV squad last season. “He is really fun and just a great person. He is funny during practice and he cares about our future and always is looking over us,” Owens said. Murphy creates a comfortable environment for the players, which is a key to their success.

Fan attendance has played a ma-jor part in the success of the Varsity Basketball team: ”It helps us out a lot

Cam Owens(12) and Jessica Mejia(12) photo/Courtney Burke

By Philip Christophe

Owens, Mejia lead Centreville Winter Sportswhen we know people are standing be-hind us during the middle of the game in big situations,” said Owens. People have been showing more interest in the team by creating chants, painting up, and bringing in costumes to get the

team pumped. Every player has a ritual before each

game, which Cam described: ”I like to laugh a lot with the team and get re-ally loose -- get my mind relaxed.” One of the biggest challenges the Wildcats face this year will be their rival, the Chantilly Chargers. Owens was reluc-

tant to give his opinion of the game this year. “I think we have

a good chance at winning,” Owens said.

Jessica Mejia (12) placed 5th in the 300 meter, ran in the 4x400 meter relay, and the 300 meter Hurdles last season throughout Regional and States in In-door/Outdoor Track.

The school purchased a new track over the summer, improving every-one’s times dramatically. ” I do like the new track a lot; it is a great change,” Mejia said. Head Coach Givon Holmes has also acquired new coaches to work alongside with him this year.” I do like them a lot, they are all awesome coaches,” said Mejia.

Holmes has tough training meth-ods to prepare for meets, making the kids work past the mental barrier that holds the runners back during work-outs. Mejia also added, “My favorite race to run is the 300 Hurdles.”

While the guys did great last year during States and Districts, the girls want to improve on their scores so they can hopefully win them all this year. “I feel like we have a lot of good young girls that have come in. We have a lot of potential this year if we set our mind to it,” Mejia said.

Before each track meet, most run-ners have rituals to prepare themselves for their upcoming race. “I like to blast music during the bus ride there, but at the meet I like to sit down and keep my mind focused on the race,” Mejia said.

Athletes of the Issue

The Centreville Boys basketball team, led by head coach Drew Mur-phy, is off to a 3-2 start following wins over West Springfield, Thomas Jeffer-son, and Marshall, and losses to Lake Braddock and Wakefield.

The Wildcats opened the home sea-son against West Springfield Dec. 1, winning 51-41 with Cam Owens (12) leading the way with 23 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double.

The Wildcats found themselves down at the end of the first quarter 9-8, but quickly rebounded by out-scoring West Springfield 13-4 in the second quarter to take an 8 point lead into half-time. This lead would hold up as the Wildcats would end the game with a 10 point lead for a victory in the home opener.

The Wildcats winning streak would be halted at one, following a 56-50 loss to Lake Braddock. This time, the Wildcats were led by Ken Ekanem (11), who had 17 points and eight re-bounds in the losing effort.

The Wildcats have a few things they could improve on before the next game, including their “intensity and controlling the tempo,” said Evan Fuller (11). Junior Hunter Campbell also agreed in stating that the team needs to “pick up the intensity and to start off the game better.” Other lead-

By Ryan Henson and Mac Cassells

Varsity Boys Basketball Starts with Winning Record

ing scorers included Will Doyle (12), who had eight points and Drakkar Sanders (12) who had six points.

This year the team has lost many seniors from last season, including impact players Warren Denny, Nick Tisinger, Bobby Warhurst, Holland Anderson, and Chris Campbell.

The air is brisk, the leaves have fall-en, the temperature is dropping, and once again, Indoor Track season is be-ginning.

Head Coach Givon Holmes has done a spectacular job over the past two seasons, leading his team to Dis-trict Championship two years straight.

After the past two seasons, he ex-pects to lead them there once again, along with two new coaches to his squad.They hope to improve every-one’s times along with training.

“Workouts can get hard and they get rough, but it is good for you in the end. Afterwards, you always know that it will prepare you for the upcom-ing meet,” Texas Williams (11) said.

Track is known for the friendly envi-ronment it creates for kids. “The track team helps you get by each week, be-ing nice, fun, and friendly. They help you work through the cold tempera-ture,” said Williams.

This past year, the school had a new track put in to help the runners im-prove times and to help with training.

Despite these losses, many juniors have moved from the JV squad last season to the Varsity level this season, including Evan Fuller, Robert Coker, Jamal Sykes, Mitch Mahoney, Travis Whitney, Hunter Campbell, and Ken Ekanem, who was already on the Var-sity level last year.

“I think it is really good and it’s helping our times already. It is much softer than the last one and overall much better,” Brett Martin (11) said.

The team has become smaller and smaller over the past few years, but Holmes has found ways for the team to win on both sides.

“We lost really good talent from Chris Mbaibadande, Terrance Kenne-dy, and Paul Barbour (2010 graduate) but we have great upcoming talent and should still be really good.” Martin said.

Genesis Echeveria (12) said,” The

girls’ side is really packed this year, and the coaches are working really hard on us to improve everyone’s times.”

On the way to the meet, runners have multiple rituals to prepare for the meet.

“Before I run, I take a nap and then I pray before the race for peace,” Ech-everia said.

“I talk to friends to ease my mind, then I try to use the bathroom before the race,” said Martin. Jessica Mejia (12) added, ”Just before the meet, I keep my mind focused for the race.”

By Philip Christophe

Indoor Track Looks to Repeat as District Champions

The Wildcats would extend their record to 3-2 after beating Marshall 61-50. Cam Owens was again the leading scorer with 17 points along with Ekanem and Whitney who had 11 points each. Owens had a double-double once again, adding 11 points to his scoring total.

The Wildcats led throughout, giv-ing Marshall a 1-4 record despite an attempted comeback from Marshall.

With this current group, the Wild-cats have a chance to do well in the district. “I feel strong with the group of guys that we have.” said Fuller. Campbell added that the Wildcats will finish in the “top three” in the tough Concorde District.

The team has strived to maintain their skill level by working out with Conditioning Coach Padgett three times a week. “I try to shoot-around every day to keep my game up,” add-ed Campbell. These activities help build team morale and chemistry.

They also dance and blast loud music in the locker room before the game, according to Fuller and Camp-bell. The Wildcats will also partici-pate in the Bulldog Bash tournament at Westfield High School during the Winter Break with games on Dec. 28, 29, and 30. Last season, the team won the tournament and senior Warren Denny was the MVP.

Evan Fuller (11) goes for a dunk. (photo/Evan Fuller)

sportsDec. 22, 2010 11

Girls Varsity Basketball Picks Up First WinBy Courtney Burke

The Lady Wildcats Varsity basket-ball team picked up their first win on Friday, Dec. 3 against the Lake Braddock Bruins by a score of 41-29, improving their record to 1-1 this sea-son.

Both teams got off to a slow start in the beginning of the 1st quarter, but the Wildcats got it together and led the Bruins 10-2 at the end of the 1st.

“We did a lot better than Wednes-day. We did well collectively and we picked up our defense,” said Erin Meador (12).

The Wildcats put up 12 points in the 2nd in part due to baskets made by Jenna Green (9) and Taylor O’Hara (12). The Bruins fought back with some points of their own, but the Wildcats maintained their lead by a score of 22-11 at the end of the 2nd.

During the 3rd quarter, the Bruins looked poised to make a comeback, with the lead only 9 points out of their reach. However, baskets made by Chaney Forbush (11) and Kiran Ghuman (10) kept the Wildcats in the game with a lead of 30-21 at the end of the 3rd.

“We did well; we struggled a bit in the 3rd, but we picked it up in the 4th,” said Green.

The Wildcats held the lead in the 4th, putting the game out of reach for the Bruins with a final score of 41-29.

Haley Diamond(12) dribbles down the court. (photo/wearecville.com)

“We did well as a team. Everyone got to play and we won,” said O’Hara.

Even after a win, the team is always looking for ways it can improve for upcoming games. “As a team, we need to calm down on offense and play like

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we do in practice,” said Meador. Green and O’Hara also saw things that need-ed improvement. “Rebounding and transitions,” said O’Hara, as well as “shooting, scoring more points, and a

better defense,” said Green. Their pregame team rituals also

help them relax and play better. “We always bang on the lockers, there is a lot of screaming, we pray, and do team cheers,” said O’Hara.

With the new season just begin-ning, the girls have a lot to be excited for. “Once we click we should do re-ally well in the district. We will hope-fully go far.”

The Wildcats are on a three game win-streak, improving their record to 3-1, with two more wins over Thomas Jefferson and Wakefield.

During the Thomas Jefferson game, Erin Meador (12) led the team in scoring with 13 points and Chaney Forbush (11) was a close second with 12 points of her own. At the half, the Wildcats were behind 23-19 at half-time, but they picked it up in the 2nd half to overcome the Colonials 44-29.

Meador also led the team in the Wakefield game scoring 19 points, and Jenna Green (9) was right behind her with 12 points. The Wildcats had a slow start, but they broke it open in the 3rd quarter, outscoring the War-

riors 22-1, making the overall score 20-12. They would go on to win by a score of 55-22.

The Wildcats will be participating in the Bulldog Bash at Westfield H.S. over the break on Dec. 28,29, and 30.

On Saturday, Dec. 18, The Centrev-ille swim and dive team lost its fourth straight meet. After a competitive meet against Herndon on Dec. 3rd, the Wild-cats suffered crushing defeats by the Chantilly Chargers, Oakton Cougars, and Robinson Rams.

Though the so far winless record has been discouraging, many swim and dive team members are pleased with the way the team has come to-gether under the new coach. “Coach McFeely is a good coach who made my return to swim an easier transition,” said Alden Methfessel (11).

The team’s record at this point is poor; however, the team’s morale is quite the opposite. The attitude of many swimmers may lead one to be-lieve the team is undefeated rather than winless.

“The season seems to be going well and our new coaches are very well

liked,” said Connor Culleiton. Even though practices are difficult and the Cats have yet to reward themselves with a victory, swimmers are happy with the program. “The swim team has long and difficult practices, but it has paid off and is very enjoyable,” said Marco Jimenez (11)

The team possesses experienced swimmers such as John Germanis and Taylor Avery, along with many others that place regularly, but what the team lacks is numbers. “Swim and dive is a sport where you need lots and lots of good teammates, not just a few stars here and there,” said Sam Maney (11).

This comes after losing Susie Lesn-iewski, Sana Alloo, and Natalie Leake, who were seniors last year. The Wild-cats have yet to compete with a team of smaller or equal size this season.

The Wildcats have only three com-petitions left in the season, two of which are against cross-town rival Westfield on Jan. 7 and 14.

Swim Still Optimistic: A Victory Without A VictoryBy Joe Dell